MI-5/Spooks vet Tom Weston-Jones will play the lead, Kevin Corcoran, an Irish-American cop in 1860s New York City. Kyle Schmid, Anastasia Griffith and German actress Franka Potente (The Bourne Supremacy, Run Lola Run) round out the cast.

Additionally, Steven Cosens joins as director of photography, Delphine White will work as costume designer and Hell on Wheels'John Blackie takes on production designer.

Copper, co-produced by Cineflix Studios and Shaw Media, is the first scripted venture made for BBC America after a long history of airing only acquisitions from the U.K. The network recently launched its first original unscripted series, Would You Rather with Graham Norton. Richard Hammond's Crash Course, a solo venture from the Top Gear panelist, will debut in 2012.

A 19th century crime drama, Copper tells the story of Irish immigrants in the Manhattan's Five Points neighborhood, and of its lead character's journey to uncover the truth about his missing wife and dead daughter.